Authorities have yet to release the names of the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day truck attack on Bourbon Street, but families and friends have started sharing heartfelt tributes.
While the New Orleans coroner awaits autopsy results and next-of-kin notifications, the emerging stories offer a glimpse into the lives lost.
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Reggie Hunter
One of the people killed was 37-year-old Reggie Hunter from Baton Rouge. The father of two was run over in the attack.
“It was from the vehicle. It was all internal from the impact from the vehicle,” Hunter’s cousin, Shirell Jackson, said.
Jackson rushed to the hospital, but it was too late.
“They tried all their measurements, everything that they had to save him,” Jackson said. “To lose a loved one is already devastating. But on top behind these actions, this situation. It’s just, it’s like that punch to the gut.”
Martin “Tiger” Bech
Martin “Tiger” Bech, 27, was killed in the New Orleans attack, his mother, Michelle Bech, told NBC News. A Princeton graduate and former football standout, Bech worked as a junior bond trader in New York City.
He was on Bourbon Street with a friend, who survived the incident, when the truck struck him. Michelle Bech shared that her son was “living his best life” and was his younger brother Jack’s “biggest supporter” as Jack trains for the NFL draft.
Ni’Kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux
Zion Parsons of Gulfport, Mississippi, was celebrating New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street when chaos unfolded. A vehicle plowed into his friend, 18-year-old Ni’Kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, a recent high school graduate, who Parsons said had dreamed of becoming a nurse.
Dedeaux was tragically killed in the attack, her grandmother, Jennifer Smith, told The New York Times. Her mother, Melissa Dedeaux, confirmed the devastating news Wednesday on Facebook, asking for prayers.
Parsons, also 18, described the horrifying scene as the truck barreled through the crowd, throwing people into the air and leaving a path of devastation. Amid the chaos, he ran through a gruesome aftermath of injured victims, gunfire, and explosive sounds.
Dedeaux, who worked at a hospital and was preparing to start college, was known as a responsible and caring daughter, Parsons said. Despite not having everything figured out, she was determined to pursue her goal of becoming a registered nurse.
Matthew Tenedorio
Matthew Tenedorio, 25, was remembered as a source of positivity and joy, with friends and family describing him as someone who could lighten any mood and bring happiness wherever he went.
Tenedorio’s mother, Cathy, last saw him on New Year’s Eve before he left for the French Quarter, despite warnings from his parents about safety and crowds. Friends convinced him to join the festivities, but tragedy struck when Tenedorio walked toward the chaos to help others and was fatally shot.
Standing at 6′2″, Tenedorio worked as an audiovisual technician at the Superdome, a job he considered a dream come true.
Nicole Perez
Nicole Perez, a devoted single mother to her 4-year-old son, Melo, was working hard to create a better future for her family when her life was tragically cut short in the New Orleans truck attack, her employer shared.
Perez, in her late 20s, had recently been promoted to manager at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, a role she was “really excited about,” according to deli owner Kimberly Usher. Usher, who confirmed Perez’s death through her sister, said the young mother had a bright future ahead.
“She was a really good mom,” Usher said in a phone interview with AP, recalling how Perez would bring her son to work during breaks and teach him basic skills. Perez often asked questions about the business side of operations, showing her dedication to learning and growing in her career.
Usher has started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Perez’s burial expenses and provide support for Melo as he transitions into a new living situation.
This article will be updated as new information becomes available. NBC News and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
